Hydro-massage unit



All@ 19, 1969 y J. M. KEMPER 3,461,862

` HYDRO-MASSAGE UNI'T l' 'k l. WHW 4 l W" i 5 y Aug. 19, 1969 J, KEMPER3,461,862'

l HYDRO-MASSAGE UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent O 3,461,862HYDRO-MASSAGE UNIT James M. Kemper, Hollywood, Calif., assignor to Lyn-Bar Enterprises, Sherman Oaks, Calif., a corporation of California FiledSept. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 582,102 Int. Cl. A61h 9/00 U.S. Cl. 12S-66 4Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A hydro-massage unit having a housingwith an ambient air inlet and an air outlet hose connection, theinterior of the housing being separated into an air compressingcompartment, a motor compartment, and an air heating compartment whichare connected for sequential air flow from the housing inlet to theoutlet hose connection, said compartments respectively containing airmoving elements, a motor having a driving connection with the air movingelements and a spiraled heating element eX- tending transversely acrossthe air ow stream in the air heating compartment, and including acontrol switching circuit for selectively connecting the heating elementin series with the motor -for one operating speed thereof, and inparallel with the motor for a dilerent operating speed.

The present invention relates generally to the art of moving andtreating fluids, and is more particularly concerned with a hydro-massageunit for the controlled pressurizing, heating and delivery of a iluidsuch as air so as to agitate water around parts of the human body in awater massaging operation.

Heretofore water massagers have for the most part utilized electricmotor driven water pumps for agitating the water around the parts of thebody to be massaged. Devices for this purpose have either had theelectric motor submerged in water, or mounted above the water, thedevice being further arranged for fastening to the bath tub. Theseconstructions present a very hazardous condition in which it is possiblefor a user to be electrocuted, if the equipment is not grounded and anelectrical short should occur in the motor or connected wiring.

According to the concepts of the present invention, it is proposed toprovide a separate portable unit for treating the air, this unit beingin separated or detached relation to the tub and being in confmunicationwith the tub water through an insulated hose by which the air isdelivered to a perforated ring placed in the bottom of the bath tub orother treatment container. This ring is provided with outlet openings orair holes through which the compressed air from the unit is projectedinto the water to provide the massaging turbulence of the water over thebody areas during treatment. Safety of operation is assured and theabove noted electrical hazards are completely eliminated.

With the foregoing in mind, it is one object of the herein describedinvention to provide a hydro-massage unit of portable type for use witha water container such as a bath tub for massage of the human body,which has simple controls for varying the pressure of delivered air,vand which may be located out of physical electrical conducting contactwith the tub and water therein.

A further object is to provide a self-contained air treating unit inwhich ambient air is conducted through a compressing chamber, motorchamber 'and heater chamber, and during passage through the motorchamber is utilized to cool the motor by absorbing heat therefrom,whereby the air is preheated prior to reaching the main heater chamber.

Another object is to provide in an air treating unit of the characterdescribed herein, a unique control system Patented Aug. 19., 1969 lCewherein an electric heating element for heating the air is also utilizedwith respect to the motor energizing circuit in such a way as to providea speed controlling element for the motor which is utilized for drivingthe air moving means.

Further objects of the invention will lbe brought out in the followingpart of the specification, wherein detailed description is for thepurpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitationsthereon.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrativepurposes only:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a hydro-massage unit embodying the featuresof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the same, takensubstantially on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse section through the same takensubstantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic control diagram showing the circuitry for thevarious electrical components of the unit.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative purposes,the hydro-massage unit of the herein described invention comprises aportable housing structure as generally indicated at 10, and comprisinga shell-like structure fabricated to have opposed side walls 11a and 11bwhich are connected with opposed end walls 12a and 12b. The housing isclosed by a top wall 13 which serves as a control panel and is providedwith a carrying handle 14 to permit transporting the unit from onelocation to another. The bottom of the housing structure is open, but isnormally closed by a bottom Wall member 15 which may be removablysecured by conventional screws or other means not shown. This bottomwall may be provided with pads 16 which provide supporting feet for theunit.

The housing 10 has mounted therein an inner casing structure asgenerally indicated at 17. This inner casing is of generally tubularcylindrical construction, and of such size that the surrounding spacebetween it and the fwalls of the housing provide an internal chamber 18for the reception of vambient air which is admitted from the exterior ofthe housing through a plurality of louver openings 19 provided in theside walls 11a and 11b.

The inner casing 17 is of cylindrical construction and comprises twoaxially aligned sections 20 and 21 which are secured together inend-to-end engagement.

As best shown in FIG. 2, the section 20 comprises a cylindrical outerwall 22 which extends between end walls 23 and 24 to provide an aircompressing compartment 25 which is divided into a rst stage compartment25a and a second stage compartment 25b by a partition 26. Air ow throughthe air compressing compartment is from an inlet opening Z7 in the endwall 23, through an opening 28 in the partition 26 and thence through anoutlet opening 29 in the end wall 24.

The section 21 has a cylindrical wall 30 which has its ends seated inend rings 31 and 32 of plastic or other suitable material, the end ring31 defining an opening 33 and the end ring 32 an opening 34.

The sections 20 and 21 are secured in axially aligned end-to-endrelation to the housing end wall 12b by means of threaded tie rods 35which extend through the end rings 31 and 32 and also operate to securethe end ring 31 and end wall 24 in secured engagement. As thus mounted,the opening 34 of the end ring 32 is in axial registration with anoutlet opening 36 formed in the housing end wall 12b. 'Ihe left end ofsection 21 forms a motor compartment, while the right end of thissection provides a heating compartment. The inner casing thus providesan air compressing compartment, a motor compartment and an air heatingcompartment which are physically connected for sequential air flow fromthe inlet opening 27 to the air outlet opening 36.

In the section 20, the air is moved and compressed by a two stagecompressor which includes radial impellers 37 and 38 respectivelyoperable in the rst stage compartment 25a and second stage compartment25h, these impellers being affixed to a rotatable shaft 39 which may bethe driving shaft of an electric motor 40 or a coupled extensionthereof.

The driving motor is supported in the motor compartment at the left endof section 21. As shown in FIG. 2, the motor is for operation onalternating current and comprises a conventional rotor 41 rotatablymounted in a stator frame 42 having end brackets for supporting theshaft. During operation of the motor, air is circulated in the spacebetween the rotor and stator structures and discharged through outletopenings 43 in the stator frame and through the end bracket. The motoris mounted with its left end bracket, as viewed in FIG. 2, positioned inthe registered openings 29 and 33 so that outlet air from the compressorcompartment will be carried through the motor to serve as a coolingmedium, the air thus being preheated by absorbing heat energy dissipatedby the motor prior to the iiow of preheated air into the heatercompartment end of section 21.

In the heating compartment section, there is provided on the downstreamside of the motor 40 a transversely extending electrical heating elementas generally indicated at 44, this heating element being spirally woundabout a cylinder axis and supported at its ends on a pair of thethreaded tie rods 35. Also, there is supported o-n the tie rods betweenthe heater and the outlet opening 36 of the housing a perforated shieldmember 45 which prevents a person inserting a hand through the outletopening into contact With the heater. This perforated shield member alsoserves as support for a bracket 46 which extends above the heatingelement and has mounted thereon a thermal switch 47 which iselectrically in circuit with the heater and is set to operateautomatically to disconnect the heating element when the temperature ofthe air for any reason reaches a predetermined temperature, for example200 F.

At the outlet opening 36 of the housing, a sealing ring 48 of rubber orother suitable material is mounted and secured to the inner surface ofthe end ring 32 at this end of the housing by means of a clamping ring49 held by a plurality of retaining screws 50. The sealing ring isconcentrically disposed with respect to the openings 34 and 36 and isadapted on its inner periphery to sealingly engage an inserted end of ahose coupler device 51 of a flexible hose 52 as shown in dotted linesfor conducting treated air from the unit to the tub or other containerfor the water used in the massage treatment.

The physical construction of the device as thus far described lendsitself particularly to the incorporation of conventional means forcutting down vibrational noises, such as by mounting the motor onresilient supporting means. Further, the interior of the housing may beprovided with sound deadening liners as indicated at 53 on the end, sideand bottom walls of the housing.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the unique control features of the unit willnow be described. Electric supply to the unit it from a suitablealternating current source which may be led into the housing through aconnection cord 54 hav ing conductors 55 and 56 therein. The conductor55 is connected with one terminal of the motor 4 0, a timer 57 beinginstalled in this conductor for presetting the time of operation of theunit, and so that at the end of the desired time interval the unit willautomatically be disconnected without the necessity of any attention onthe part of the person who is taking the massage treatment. Thisconstitutes a safety factor in that it is not necessary for the personto touch the unit while in the bath.

The other conductor 56 leads to a double-throw switch 58 having movablecontacts 59 and 60 which are selectively movable to one position intoconnection with xed contacts 61 and 62 respectively and to anotherposition in which the movable contact 60 engages a xed contact 63. Theconductor 56 has a branch 56a which connects to contact 63 and a branch56h which connects to contact 61. Movable contacts 59 and 60 areconnected through conductors 64 and 65 to a circuit containing thethermal switch 47 and heating element 44 in series. A Neon lamp 66 andseries connected resistor 67 are connected in series in a parallelcircuit across the thermal switch 47 and heating element 44. The Neonlamp provides an indicating means showing when the heater coil isenergized or deenergized. A switch 68 functions to connect anddisconnect the contact 62 of switch 58 with conductor 55 to establishthe connection of one side of the heater coil circuit with the electricsource of supply as represented by conductor 55. The other side of theheater coil is connected to the other side of the electric sourcethrough conductor 56 and the switch 58. A conductor 69 connects theother terminal of the motor with conductor 64. For convenience, thetimer 57, switch 58, indicating Neon lamp 66 and switch 68 are allmounted on the top wall 13 of the housing.

With the control circuit shown in FIG. 4 and the switch 68 in its closedor on position, the unit may be operated in two different modes. Thesetwo modes of operation are established by the selective movement ofswitch 58 either to its low position or its high position.

In the low position of switch 58, in which case the movable contact 60is in engagement with fixed contact 63, the heating element 44 will beconnected in series with the motor 40 so that the motor will operate atreduced speed and provide a very gentle massaging air pressure whichwill be delivered from the unit at a temperature of approximately14C-160 F. In the other mode of operation, in which case the switch 58is moved to its high position, movable contacts 59 and 60 will be inengagement with fixed contacts 61 and 62. In this mode of operation, theheating element 44 will be connected in parallel relation with the motorto give maximum agitation of the water and deliver the heated air atsubstantially the same temperature as before.

By providing a controlled supply of heated pressurized air to the hose52 it is possible to maintain a comfortable water temperature. Ifunheated air were provided, the cool air would enter the highertemperature water and cause this temperature to be lowered. The use ofheated air also prevents the rapid evaporation caused by the temperaturedifferential where cooler air is utilized.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that it will be readilyapparent that the objectives of the present invention have beenaccomplished.

Various modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of my invention, and, hence, I do notwish to be restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned,except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hydro-massage unit, comprising:

(a) a housing having an ambient air inlet and an air outlet adapted forconnection with an air delivery hose;

(b) means separating the interior of said housing into an aircompressing compartment having air moving and compressing elementstherein, a motor compartment having electric motor means thereinconnected with said elements through a driving connection, and an airheating compartment having electrically energizable air heating meanstherein, said compartments being connected for sequential air flow froman air inlet to the air compressing compartment from said housinginterior, thence through the motor compartment and heating compartmentto said air outlet; and

(c) means for controlling the operating speed of said motor including aswitching circuit for selectively connecting said air heating means andsaid motor in series and in parallel relation.

2. A hydro-massage unit, comprising:

(a) a housing having an ambient air inlet and an air outlet adapted forconnection with an air delivery hose;

(b) means separating the interior of said housing into an aircompressing compartment, a motor compartment and an air heatingcompartment connected for sequential air ow from an air inlet to thecompressing compartment from said housing interior, thence through themotor compartment and heating compartment to said air outlet;

(c) air moving means in the air compressing compartment;

(d) motor means in the motor compartment having a driving connectionwith the air moving means;

(e) electric heater means in the air heating compartment including anelongate heating element spirally wound about a cylinder axis extendingtransversely across the air stream ow through the heating compartment;and

(f) control means for selectively varying the speed of said motor.

3. A hydro-massage unit according to claim 2, wherein the control meanscomprises a switching circuit including said heating element.

4. A hydro-massage unit according to claim 2, including temperatureresponsive switching means in said air heating compartment connected inseries with said heating means, and wherein said control means includesa switching circuit for selectively connecting said series connectedheating means and switching means as a unit in series with said motorfor operation at one speed, and in parallel with said motor foroperation at another speed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS L. W. TRAPP, Primary ExaminerU.S. Cl. XR. 4-180

